Hi!
So, I am still here!! No word about the visas. But it's been great.
These are the things I am especially grateful for:
1. Protection from the Lord for his servants (me!)
2. No uphill or downhill in my area. Definitely all flat-great!!
3. Bikes
4. My big longer snow jacket that I almost didn't pack back in October but I got a little thought to pack it...good thing I did!!!
5. The opportunity to be here-to meet these people and to learn to love them.
6. Sometimes being with a non-native speaking companion. Then we are forced to speak.
7. President and Sister Winn and ZONE CONFERENCE
8. Priesthood blessings
9. Hand Warmers
10. Knowing how to play the piano
11. Having a decent singing voice
12. Dinners every night
13. Sister Anderson-the lady we live with-she's great!!
14. My bed
15. My PJs
16. Being able to wear sweats under my skirt and under my tall boots
17. Young Women from my ward and their great letters
18. All of the wonderful letters I have received and even some GREAT HOMEMADE COOKIES (from a friend who's at the U right now)
19. Being friends with my companions
20. Singing while riding the bikes in below 20 degree weather!
MONDAY (9th) – P-day. We had dinner with the Young Women's President in our ward. She's from Bolivia. Love her... She always exaggerates her expressions. "Oh Hermaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanas" "Que leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeenda (linda)" "Que boneeeeeeeeeeeeeeta (bonita)" Best ever. Also Hermana Sanabria and her husband are very supportive of us as they both are RMs themselves. It's great to have their support.
TUESDAY (10th) – Love Sister Mayberry. She is doing well and she always gives us a big kiss on the cheek. She is very honest about her feelings. We ask her if she knows Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet. She said she wasn't sure because she hasn't received an answer yet. We asked her what she was expecting. We asked her about her feelings. She opened up to us a lot. We were able to resolve her concerns and the Spirit was strong. She's SO excited to get baptized on the 28th. :)
HAHA...So funny story...We went back to this house for a return appointment and we can see Miguel in the window...so we were like okay good he's home. We ring the doorbell, he looks and sees that it's us and then he crawls and hides under the kitchen table!! Hahaha... We were like..seriously? He's probably around 30 years old. So then we knocked and he slowly crawled out then swiftly ran to the back room...hahaha...Really wish people would just tell us they are not interested and tell us not to come back...we are super grateful for the straight up honest and kind of people that quickly shut the door. At least we don't waste our time and come back to them. Really grateful for companions that we can laugh it off and move on from those experiences.
WEDNESDAY (11th) – ZONE CONFERENCE! (from 8:15am-4:30pm) It was wonderful. Our companionship really needed the boost. We are best friends and in lessons work together really well...just struggle staying on task in our studies and certain other parts of the day. Also we have quite a few people lined up to get baptized this last Saturday and they all fell through...So we have been struggling a bit. Zone Conference really helped boost our spirits. Gave us so much confidence and encouragement and good advice about how we might be wasting our time and how we can better improve our time. It's been better since then.
THURSDAY (12th) – Had a lot of plans for today and a lot of things fell through. We are in a rebuilding stage and it can be tough to knock on a lot of doors and not get much. Also the 4 of us have been up and down concerning our health. No one stayed home this week (unlike last week) but it's still been a little rough because at least one of us in each companionship (4 sisters-split up into 2 and then rotate companions every other day). It's tough when the other is feeling a little sick to get work done and to have energy. Went to Mayberry's-she's great :)
FRIDAY (13th) – Always see this lady in the street walking her dog. I have talked to her before but not about the church. I had this feeling that we had to. So Hermana Harris and I talked to her. Connie started telling us all about her life...she was abused by her dad, ran away from home, got into selling drugs, turned herself in and went to jail, had a few husbands...finally is back together with one of them. She's been sober for 2 years except is still smoking, lost all of her kids in a house fire...yup..crazy life. I talked to her about the Plan of Salvation, gave her a pamphlet. We gave her a hug. We gave her a Book of Mormon. She shared some interesting comments about Joseph Smith... Left her a chapter in the Book of Mormon to read and she said she would. We left her our phone number and then left. It felt great. That's what missionary work is like. :)
We went to this trailer park and met a family that has 3 or 4 other trailers with other relatives in it. We envisioned all of them in white. I think it's going to happen. We have a return appointment with them this week. :) We went to a baptism to support the Elders and to bring a couple of our investigators. I am so glad that I can play "I am a Child of God" so well. I played the piano for that baptism too. The last song was a little rough but it worked out. Our investigators liked it. :)
SATURDAY (14th) – Wow. What a day. It was definitely super eventful. Someday I will have to tell the story about the trailer park...someone remind me...because it's a good one... It’s too long, not enough time now. I was lucky and got to see Sister Mayberry all week this week. (We meet with her Tues., Thurs. and Sat.). It's always a comfort to go there and feel her love for the Savior and feel the Savior's love for her. One thing President Winn reminded us to do is tell people that we are representatives of Jesus Christ. Often I haven't been saying this and it makes me sad when I realize that I haven't I NEED TO! It's a great calling.
Beverly is doing great. She poured her coffee down the drain...her whole supply! Definitely got her sons Jason and Walter to get over their fear of being baptized this weekend! :) And Beverly might get married to this guy! It will be good. I love Beverly so much. I pray every night that I will be here until this Saturday to see her baptism (who knows...anything can happen). We went to my favorite family-the Arbizu's house. :( They are not keeping their commitments and we need to "set them aside" (instead of saying drop). We are doing it on Wednesday. I am so sad. I love them so much. I will have to let you know how it goes.
SUNDAY (15th) – Hermana Magdaleno and I gave talks in the English ward. :) I love giving talks. And then a Tongan Elder going to Canada speaking Chinese gave his farewell talk :)
Love you all!! Love this gospel and the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation. SO grateful for all the support and love. :)
Pray as a family!
Love,
Hermana Laura Johnson
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